Biscuit cutter or the like machine



May 29, 1934. w MQNKS 1,960,416

BISCUIT CUTTER OR THE LIKE MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1932 J IIGJ,

13 J3 I j n fi-w i= 55 i a iizzii:

Z4 INVENToR'.

WlLLlA MONKS.

PER

' ATTORNEY.

Patented May 29, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE' BISCUIT CUTTER on THE LIKE MACHINE Application October 26, 1932, Serial No. 639,663 In Great Britain June 1, 1932 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in biscuit cut ers or the like machines for cutting articles from sheet material, such as dough.

The invention relates to biscuit cutting or like machines having a cross head, a cutter carrying block attached thereto, a scrap plate to hold the sheet of dough on the apron after the cutting operation and a back plate attached to and supporting the scrap plate by means of rods. The downward movement of the cross-head of such a machine, imparts a downward movement to both the cutter blocks and cutters, and the back plate and scrap plate, but when said scrap plate is adjacent the sheet dough, its movement is stopped, an extra downward movement being imparted to the cutter block and cutters. Upon the initial upward movement of the cross-head, the cutters are firstly retracted, whilst the scrap plate is still resting on the dough, and then the whole assembly moves upwardly.

In one kind of such machine, the back plate is held down by means of a weight suitably connected to said plate, whilst in a later kind, spring means is provided between the cross-head and back-plate, the said back plate co-acting with a stop to limit its downward movement, the cutter block and cutter continuing downwardly to effect the cutting of the sheet, at the same time compressing the spring means, so that the cutno ters are firstly retracted, and then the whole assembly moves upwardly.

The object of this present invention is to provide a means whereby machines of the weight operated kind may be rendered suitable for using cutters of the spring controlled kind referred to above, and with the above object in View, the machine according to this invention comprises a cross-head, a cutter carrying block attached thereto, a back plate, and a scrap plate connected to one another, an attachment comprising two members connected together so as to slide relatively to one another with spring means to urge said members apart, means associated with the one member for attachment to the cross-head, and means associated with the other member for attachment to the back plate, with means associated with the back plate to limit the downward movement thereof.

Preferably, two attachments are provided, one on each side of the cutter, and the member of each attachment attached to the cross-head comprises a flat, substantially L-shapedmemher, with the short arm secured to the underside of the cross-head, such as by means of a bolt. The member carrying the back plate comprises a flat member, with two spaced-apart lateral projections on one face thereof. The said face is adjacent the end of the back plate, and one end of the said back plate is accommodated between the said lateral projections.

The spring means for each attachment is held between the underside of the cross head and the upper one of the lateral projections, and preferably, two coiled springs are provided.

The relative movement between the said memhers is effected by slotting one of said members longitudinally and providing the other member with pins or bolts to extend therethrough. Nuts, or other means are provided on the end of said pins or bolts to secure the members together, whilst allowing the movement therebetween. 1

The lower extremity of the member carrying the back plate is provided with a foot or the like toengage a block on the bed-plate.

ment of the back plate, resulting in the energising of the spring means. Preferably, said stop means are adjustable so that the machine may be used with doughs of different thickness.

In order that the invention may be better understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying sheet of drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, and where- Figure l is a front elevation of a portion of a biscuit cutting machine embodying the invention, and

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section 9 thereof and I Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the line 33 Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, the machine cornprises cross head 1, moving in side stands 2, the

' said cross head being given a reciprocating movement by a rod at each end one of which is illustrated and referred to by numerals 3. The machine is of the kind having a continuously moving apron 4.

The cutter block 5 which carries the cutters 6 is mounted on the cross head 1 by means of the cross head yokes 7, secured to the said head by means of bolts 8.

The back plate 9 is connected by rods26 to the scrap or clearer plate 10, so that both plates move together.

Each attachment comprises a pair of flat members or plates 11, 12, the plate 11 being of substantially L-shape, with the short arm connected This 75 forms stop means to limit the downward moveto the cross head by means of a bolt 13. The plate 12 of each attachment is provided with two projections 14, 15 normal to the said plate, so that the one end of the back plate 9 engages and is held in the gap formed therebetween.

The two plates 11, 12 of each attachment are connected together so as to allow the cutter to move after the back plate and clearer plate are stopped by providing slots 16, 17 in each plate 11, and pins 18, 19 projecting from plate 12, the said plates being secured together by means of nuts 20.

A pair of springs 21 is provided for each attachment, each said spring being held between a plate 22 beneath the cross head and the projection 14.

The end of each plate 12 is provided with a foot 23 to form, in conjunction with a block 24 on the bedplate 25, a stop to limit the movement of the clearer plate. The said foot may be internally threaded and provided with a bolt (not shown) so that the downward movement of the clearer plate may be adjusted to allow for different thicknesses of dough on the apron 4.

The operationof the machine with the attachments thereon is as follows:

As the cross head 1 descends, the feet 23 will meet the blocks 24, thereby stopping the movement of back-plate and clearer plate 10. The cross-head l, and with it the cutters 6 will continue to move downwardly compressing the springs 21. Upon the upward movement, the cutters 6 are firstly retracted, the springs 21 holding the back plate and clearer plate down, and when the energy of the springs is expended, the whole assembly moves upwardly.

I claim:

1. A biscuit cutting or like machine comprising a cross head, acutter carrying block attached thereto, a black plate and a scrap plate connected to one another, an attachment comprising two members connected together to slide relatively to one another with spring means to urge said members apart, means associated with the one member for attachment to the cross head, and means associated with the other member for attachment to the back plate, with means associated with the back plate to limit the downward movement thereof.

2. An attachment for biscuit cutting or like machine which include a cross-head, a cutter carrying block attached thereto, a back plate and a scrap plate connected to one another, comprising two members, one member comprising a fiat substantially L-shaped member with the short arm thereof secured to the cross head, the other member comprising a flat member with two spaced apart lateral projections on one face accommodating between them one end of the back plate, the two said members connected together to slide relatively to one another with spring means between said members to urge same apart, and means associated with the back plate to limit the downward movement thereof, one such attachment being provided at each end of the machine.

3. An attachment for biscuit cutting or like machines according to claim 2, wherein the spring means for each attachment is held between the underside of the cross-head and the upper one of the lateral projections.

4. An attachment for biscuit cutting or like machines according to claim 2, wherein the one member of each attachment is slotted longitudinally, and the other member is provided with pins or bolts to extend therethrough, whereby the plates may slide relatively to each other.

5. An attachment for biscuit cutting or like machines according to claim 2, wherein the low er extremity of the member which carries the back plate has a foot to engage a block on the bed plate to form stop means, to limit the down ward movement of the back plate.

6. In a biscuit cutter or like machine including a cross head, a cutter carrying block attached thereto, a back plate and a scrap plate connected to one another, the provision of an attachment at each end thereof to limit the down ward movement of the back plate and scrap plate, each said attachment comprising a pair of flat members connected together and arranged to slide relatively to each other, one member being secured at its upper end to the underside of the cross-head, the other carrying in its length one end of the back plate, and having means to limit the downward motion thereof, with spring means between the two members energized on the advance of the cross head towards the material after the back plate and scrap plate is stopped.

WILLIAM MONKS. 

